Assessment of diffusion-weighted imaging for characterizing focal liver lesions

Clin Imaging. 2015 Mar-Apr;39(2):278-84. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2014.09.016. Epub 2014 Oct 22.

Abstract

In 150 patients, 153 hepatic lesions (39 metastases, 27 hemangiomas, 26 hepatocellular carcinomas, 25 cysts, 15 adenomas, 8 focal nodular hyperplasias, 5 abscesses, 4 hamartomas, and 4 cholangiocarcinomas) were evaluated during a 24-month period. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of benign lesions (1.994×10(-3) mm(2) s(-1)) were significantly higher than ADC values of malignant lesions (1.070×10(-3) mm(2) s(-1)). Mean ADC value for solid benign lesions (1.143×10(-3) mm(2) s(-1)±0.214×10(-3) mm(2) s(-1)) was not significantly different from malignant lesions. ADC values did not allow differentiating malignant from benign solid lesions (area under the curve=0.61). ADC cutoff value threshold of 1.6×10(-3) mm(2) s(-1) yielded higher accuracy for differentiating benign from malignant lesions.

Keywords: Benign; Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI); Focal liver lesions; MRI; Malignant.

MeSH terms

  • Abscess / diagnosis*
  • Adenoma / diagnosis
  • Bile Duct Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / diagnosis
  • Cholangiocarcinoma / diagnosis
  • Cysts / diagnosis*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / diagnosis*
  • Hamartoma / diagnosis*
  • Hemangioma / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Liver Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary